Fire-alarm apparatus



A. E. ALLEN.

FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION men MAR. 4, ms, RENEWED on. 5 1913.

1,393,095. Patent-ed May 6, 1919.

2 3HEETS-SHEET l.

A. E- ALLEN.

me ALARM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, IQBI REKEWEU OCT. 5, I918. 1,303,005. Patented May 6, 1919:-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. ALLEN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed March 4, 1916, Serial No. 82,196. Renewed October 5, 1918. Serial No. 257,084.

To all whom it may canoe 1%.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. ALLEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at East Orange, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Fire-Alarm Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, whichform. part of the same.

This invention relates especially to fire alarm apparatus adapted to be actuated by a suitable thermostatic device such as a pneumatic thermostat operating on an excessive rate of rise of temperature so as to actuate a suitable thermostatic release controlling a clock-work train or other motor mechanism. When the mechanism is thus released and allowed to operate under fire emergency conditions a powerful alarm signal may be given throughout the adjacent premises by the operation of a sound amplifying alarm diaphragm which may be subjected to vibratory impulses from toothed gear or ratchet connections acting on this alarm diaphragm so as to give a powerful sound like an automobile horn.

In the accompanying drawings showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way an il1ustrative embodiment of this invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line w, a: of Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow. 7

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the auxiliary gear train in detail.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showingthe top of box 2, with the upper spider plate N partly broken away to exhibit the auxiliary gear train. 1

, Figs. 5 and 6 are partial sections on the line 3 y of Fig. 4 taken in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the lever 15 and operating arm 17.-

, The operating mechanism may be contained in a cylindrical casing A, preferably of metal, provided with a cover B, upon which the annular air chamber or reservoir C. is supported by standards D, so that a free circulation is permitted around said reser voir. Within the case A is the thermostatic release which may comprise a thin metal diaphragm 1, clamped at its edges between the two parts of the box 2. A tube 3 leads from the reservoir C to an opening 4: in the lower half of box 2, disposed below the center of the diaphragm. Passing through a bushing in the upper half of box 2 is a pin 5 which bears against a metal tongue 6. Said tongue at one end is forked, as shown in Fig. 4, and near the extremities of the arms are holes which receive pins 7, projecting upward from box 2. The arms of a V-shaped leaf spring 8, secured at its angle to a boss 8 on said box, bear upon the arms of tongue 6, near to the pins 7, and serve to retain the tongue in place on its pins and also to exert a slight spring resistance to the lifting of said tongue by pin 5. Through the agency of tongue 6, the diaphragm 1 controls the mechanism hereafter described. In th box 2 is an air vent 9, shown on an exaggerated scale, which is to be so proportioned that the pressure in reser voir C, due to air expansion under a slow rise of temperature, will become equalized with the pressure of the external atmosphere; while the air pressure in said reservoir, due to a quick rise, will operate the diaphragm 1.

The audible alarm may comprise any powerfully actuated alarm' diaphragm preferably subjected to "a series of vibratory impulses which may be secured by the following means: The cjover B is countersunk to form a chamber F closed by an alarm diaphragm G, clamped between said cover and a frustoconical ring H. Attached to the center of the diaphragm is a pin I, which passes through an opening in the bottomof chamber F and an opening in one end of a bent rod J which is retained in place on said pin by nuts K. The angle of rod J bears upon the under side of the bottomvof chamber F, and its free end extends through a slot in the upper spider plate N and rests on the radially toothed disk L, formed on the upper side of a gear T; the relation of the parts being such that when the cover B is in place on the case A, the rod J is held with suflicient firmness at its three bearing points, namely, the toothed disk L, bottom of chamberF and nuts K. It will be obvious that if the gear T be rotated, the'rod J will be rapidly vi brated by the teeth on disk L, and will in turn communicate its vibrations to diaphragm Gr, whereby they will be amplified and increased in loudness.

The gear T, which carries disk L, is one of a train driven by the coiled spring or motor M, and supported between the spider plates N, O, as follows: (see Fig. 2): The

- gear I on the spring barrel drives pinion Q, on shaft of gear R: gear R drives pinion S, on shaft of gear T: gear T drives pinion U, on shaft of gear V: gear V drives pinion V, on shaft of gear Y, and gear Y drives pinion Z on shaft 10. It is to be particularly noted that, beyond gear T, which carries the alarm sounding disk L, the multiplying speed train continues until it terminates in pinion Z; and that on the shaft 10 of oinion Z a projecting pin 11, Figs. 5 and 6. It will now be obvious that although the driving spring M may be of much power, and hence competent to rotate the gear T to produce a loud alarm in the manner described, nevertheless, by reason of the continued gear train, the operation of the whole mechanism may be arrested by very little resistance offered to the rotation of pin 11 or other part and hence, after the mechanism has been stopped by a light detent moved into the path of said pin, said detent may be withdrawn-with very little friction against the pin, and the mechanism permitted to operate. The whole gear train, therefore, accomplishes two purposes. First of all, it multiplies speed, and hence diminishes power, from gear P to pinion Z, so that a very small resistance to the rotation of the shaft 10, carrying said pinion, stops the motion, and very ,small poWer is required to bring a detent for arresting and releasing shaft into and out of operation.

And, second, a part of the trainnamely, so much of it as is included between gear P and gear T, rotates the disk L with great power under (and hence against the elastic resistance of) the rod J pressed down .upon the teeth thereof. The spring =M is wound (Figs. 1 and 2) by a key a, applied to the threaded arbor I), which carries a pinion 0, engaging with the crown gear d on the spring shaft 6, said shaft also carrying a ratchet f, with which engages the usual spring pawl g.

'The detent, above noted, which engages with the pin 11 on shaft 10 of pinion Z, isbest shown at 13, Figs. 5, 6,7, and is a wire rod passing through a guide bracket 14;, secured to upper spider plate 'N, and terminating in a hook which engages with a pivoted lever 15. WVhen the lever is raised, the detent 13 is moved into the path of rotation of pin 11, as shown in Fig. 5, thus stopping the movement of the alarm mechanism, as already described. -When said lever is lowered, said detent is Witlr drawn below the said path of rotation, as shown in Fig. 6, and the alarm mechanism is accordingly released.

lnterposed between lever 15 and the tongue 6, which, as before described, is operated by diaphragm 1, there may be an independently actuated auxiliary gear train, whereby the movement of the diaphragm is transmitted to lever 15 and thus caused to stop or release the alarm mechanism. This train is constructed and operated as follows: The first motion shaft 16 carries a two-armed lever. One arm, 17, of said lever is straight, and the other, 18, in segmental form, Figs. 2 and f having a peripheral notch to receive a fixed stop 19, which limits the extent of rotation of said shaft. To the arm 18 is secured a helical spring 20, which, when the shaft is suitably turned by manual operation of arm 17, for instance as hereafterdescribed, comes under tension and therefore tends to rotate said shaft, and through the gears and pinions of the intermediate train, finally rotates the one-toothed pinion -21. But because of theintermediatc gears, speed is multiplied and the power necessary to holdpinion 21' against the action of spring is greatly reduced.

Pivoted in brackets 22 on the under side of lower spider plate 0 is a lever 23, one downwardly bent end 2% of which bears on tongue 6, see Figs. 1 and 3. The other end of lever forms a detent 25 normally raised into the path of the single teeth of pinion 21 by the leaf spring 26 bearing on said lever on the other side of the pivot. Hence when the helical spring 20 is brought under tension, the tooth of pinion 21 engages with detent 25. This detent is released by the upward movement of the diaphragni-which is effected as previously described. I

In order to bring the helical spring '20 under tension, Iprovide a three-armed lever 27, pivoted at :28 in a bracket depending from the upper spider plate N. One arm, 29, of this lever extendsdownwardlyand comes in front of the arm 17 of the lever on shaft 16. The second arm, 30, forms a stop to meet the upper plate N, and so limit the motion of the'lever. The third arm, 31, is forked and embraces a sliding pin'32. This pin is headed at its upper end, passes through the upperspider plate N and through the cover B near the side of the casing, and a bracket 33 thereon, and has a collar 34;, which, when said pin is pushed down by the operators finger, engages the forked arm 31 and so swings the lever to cause arm 29 to move lever arm 17, and so bring-the helical spring -20 under tension. The effect of this is to rotate the auxiliary gear train until the tooth on pinion 21 engages with detent and arrests further operation of the train by the spring The movement of arm 17 accomplishes another function, namely, to operate lever 15 to bring the detent 13 into the path of pin 11, on shaft 10. This is done as follows: (hie end of lever 15, see Fig. '7, is bent downwardly and hook-shaped. The lOWQl side 35 of the bent portion of this part 15 forms a cam. The lever 15 being in the position shown in Fig. 6, the arm 17 moving to the right of the drawing, raises the bent end of said lever to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7, thus bringing the detent 13 into the path of rotation of pin 11, While the arm 17 remaining under the end of lever 15, retains the detent 13 in raised position.

The operation of .theapparatus as a Whole may now be followed.

The main spring M is wound by the key a and the operator pushes ClOWll pin 32, bring ing spring 20 under tension. The detent 13 now engages pin 11, preventing operation of the main 'ear train, and the detent 25 engages the single tooth of pinion 21, preventing operation of the auxiliary train.

The temperature of the external atmosphere having risen at a predetermined rate, the vent 9 can no longer equalize the external and internal pressure, and the diaphragm 1 rises, lifting tongue 6, tilting lever 23 and freeing the tooth of pinion 2 1 from detent 25. Helical spring 20 now operates to move the arm 17 from under the end of lever 15, when said end and detent 13 fall, the detent thus being moved out of the path of pin 11. This releases the gear train actuated by main sprin M, with the result that the teeth of disk i are rapidly moved under tongue or rod J, and the alarm is sounded in the manner already set forth.

It is to be noted that I preferably use a large diaphragm of very thin metal, and that all the diaphragm has to do, is to get the end of detent 25 away from the single tooth of pinion 21. Then the auxiliary train, being free to operate under its own spring, has in turn nothing to do but to move the little detent 13 a mere fraction of an inch into or out of the path of the pin 11. And, finally, when pin 11 is freed, the powerful main spring comes into operation and operates the mechanism which sounds the alarm.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, forms, proportions, materials, parts and arrangements, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. v

1. An automatic fire alarm apparatus comprising a casing, a cover therefor having a central compartment, a sound amplifying alarm diapln-agmclosing said compartment in said. casing, a pin secured to said dia phragm and extending Within said casing,- a rotary toothed disk, a lever cooperating with said disk and connected to said pin, motor mechanism for driving said disk, a thermostat provided with a diaphragm, de-

tent devices controlling said motor mechanism, a spring actuated gear train actuated by said diaphragm and controlling said detent devices and manually operated resetting means for resetting said detent devices and gear train.

'2. An automatic fire alarm apparatus comprising ,a casing, a sound amplifying alarm diaphragm, pin secured to said diaphragm and extending within said casing, a rotary toothed disk, a lever cooperating with said disk. and connected to said pin, motor mechanism for driving said disk, a vented rate-of-rise air thermostat provided With a diaphragm, detent devices controlling said motor mechanism and actuated by said diaphragm and manually operated resetting means for resetting said detent devices.

3. An automatic fire alarm apparatus comprising a casing, a sound amplifying alarm diaphragm in said casing, a toothed rotary member, vibrator connections coopen ating with said rotary member and operatively connected to said alarm diaphragm, mechanical motor mechanism for driving said rotary member, a vented rate-of-rise air thermostat provided with a diaphragm, connected detent devices controlling said motor mechanism and manually operated resetting means for resetting said detent devices.

4. An automatic fire alarm apparatus comprising a casing, a sound amplifying alarm diaphragm in said casing, a rotar 1 toothed disk, vibrator connections cooperating With said disk and opertively connected to an alarm diaphragm, mechanical motor mechanism for driving said disk, a pneumatic thermostat and connected detent devices controlling said motor mechanism.

5. An automatic fire alarm apparatus comprising a casing, a sound amplifying alarm diaphragm in said casing, a rotary disk and connected vibrator cooperating With said alarm diaphragm, mechanical motor mechanism for driving said disk, a thermostat and connected detent devices controlling said motor mechanism.

6. An automatic firej alarm apparatus, comprising a mechanical motor, a speed multiplying train of ears, a toothed disk on the shaft of one o the gears of said train, a detent controlling another of said gears, a sound amplifying diaphragm, vibrator devices comprising a. tongueconnecting said disk and said diaphragm, the diaphragm of a thermostat, and means controlled by said diaphragm for moving said detent to release its controlled gear.

7} An automatic fire alarm apparatus,

comprising a mechanical motor, a speed multiplying train of gears, a toothed disk on the shaft of one of the gears of said train, a detent controlling said gears, a sound amplifying diaphragm, vibrator devices connecting said disk and said dia phragm, the diaphragm of a thermostat, and means controlled by said diaphragm for moving said detent to release its controlled gear.

8. An automatic fire alarm apparatus, comprisinga support, the diaphragm of a thermostat secured to said supp ort,a signal device comprising a sound amplifying dia phragm and actuating mechanism therefor controlled by the diaphragm of said thermostat, a duct conveying air to said diaphragm,

and an air reservoir communicating With said air duct and mounted at a distance from the diaphragm of said thermostat.

9. An automatic fire alarm apparatus, comprising a case, and inclosed therein the diaphragm of a thermostat, a: signal device comprising a sound amplifying diaphragm and motor mechanism therefor controlled by the diaphragm of said thermostat, a duct conve in air to said dia )hra m and an air reservoir communicating with said air duct and substantially rigidly supported on said case and distanttherefrom.

ARTHUR E. ALLEN. \Vitnesses:

ERNEST H. LOWE, Jnssm B. KAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, W ashington, D. C. 

